'M. bovis' response farms now all contacted

All 300 farms identified as urgent priority properties as part of a surge in Mycoplasma bovis response activity have now been contacted.

The latest stakeholder update from the Ministry for Primary Industries said 28 farms were working with the response to get information on risky animal movements before a decision could be made if their risk of exposure was high enough to require a notice of direction.

A NOD aimed to prevent further spread and did not restrict movement of stock or goods on to the farm but cattle could not move off the property without a permit.

So far, 101 urgent priority NODs had been tasked and 115 farms would require active surveillance.

There were still 400 low-medium priority farms that needed to be contacted over the next few weeks. Very few of those properties were expected to be placed under a NOD and most would require active surveillance.

There were risk movements that were now being found from the most recently confirmed properties.

Even though the surge work was complete, the response team would have to continue to contact farmers about newly found risk movements, as part of its ''business as usual'', the update said.